The Dialect
by FugitiveSGA
Summary: Kirk has ordered some language disks from Vulcan to help him understand his First Officer, and maybe help him seduce the Vulcan. What he finds, changes his whole approach.
1. Chapter 1

Spock looked at the list on his computer. The items were definitely from Vulcan, but they were not addressed to him. They were addressed to Captain James T. Kirk.

Spock's eyes slid sideways, away from his viewer, to survey his Captain, then back to the viewer. The manifest clearly listed the recipient as James T. Kirk, but the notation beside the items was 'personal.'

Spock stood up and wandered down to the Captain's chair, putting a hand on the back of the chair.

"Problem?" came the quiet voice. Kirk had not looked up, nor glanced back to see who was approaching. Spock wondered briefly if the human's hearing was good enough to distinguish his footsteps from the other eight members of the crew currently out of the Captain's line of sight and on the bridge. The first lunchtime relief shift crew were gathering inside the turbo lift doors.

"No, sir," replied Spock.

The voice was pitched low, "You're curious, aren't you?"

"Never, sir."

Kirk chuckled, and said, "I'll tell you later. Not on the bridge."

"You are making numerous assumptions… sir."

"That you're curious about the Star Base parcel manifest, and the items that we picked up that came from Vulcan?"

"And you assume that my curiosity would drive me out of my chair to stand beside you, yet not bring me to the point of asking?" Spock was getting huffy, "That would be illogical."

Kirk looked up and gave Spock a twinkling smile that did nothing to improve the Vulcan's equilibrium, and Spock retreated, still in a huff, back to his station.

The faint smile that played over Kirk's lips and lit his eyes for the remaining few minutes of the morning shift was devilling the Vulcan by lunch time.

Kirk stood and stretched, and Spock's eyes flicked over to him and back. The Vulcan stayed stubbornly at his station.

Kirk strolled over to Spock's station and said so that only Spock's keen ears heard, "I have things to do right now, but I'd like you to have dinner with me tonight, Mr Spock." He turned and headed for the turbo lift without waiting for an answer. Spock frowned, spent about five more minutes glowering at his station while he worked, then flicked a finger at his relief, who was standing beside his station.

"I will be in Scientific Laboratory Three until 1500 hours," he said briefly, then left the bridge.

After Spock disappeared out the door, Sulu looked over at Uhura, who was watching the turbo lift doors close. She turned back around and asked, "What's with those two today?"

Sulu muttered, "If you haven't figured that out by now, Nyota, I'm not telling you."

Chekov raised a puzzled eyebrow at them, then shrugged.

Back in his cabin, Kirk was pleased to see that his yeoman had placed the parcels from the Star Base on his desk and that they were still sealed. He ordered a coffee, then turned to the parcels and carefully opened them.

There was a computer disk, which he placed aside. Then he reverently opened a slim Padd. It powered up automatically and asked him to name a password, "Spock," he smiled as he said it.

"Password not secure. Suggest a new password," demurred the Padd. Kirk glared at it, then said, "Project Spock."

"Password not secure. Password must be both random and complex."

After about ten minutes, Kirk told the Padd through gritted teeth, "Where's the logic in asking me for a password that's too damned random and complex for me to remember? I'd have to write it down, which obviates the purpose of the password in the first damned place!"

"Recipient is exhibiting the use of increasing profanity and both volumetrically and tonally textured speech. Is recipient Human?" asked the Padd, deadpan.

"Yes!" growled Kirk.

"Is password intended to protect contents from other humans, rather than Vulcans?" asked the Padd innocently.

Kirk hesitated, but affirmed, "Yes."

"Then password 'Spock' is acceptable," said the Padd.

Kirk debated throwing it out the nearest airlock, but then it made a cheeky musical noise at him and displayed a list of entries in bright yellow lettering on a red background. Kirk began to read.

About two minutes later, Kirk was staring incredulously at his screen, "Wait. WHAT?"

The Padd intoned tunelessly at him, "Does reader require clarification? Please specify. What did you not understand?"

'There's a language?" Kirk was nearly speechless.

"Please specify. Do you require translation to Vulcan language?" the Padd asked tonelessly.

"No. The hand gestures, translate the hand gestures to Standard. With pictures."

The Padd's response seemed a little less toneless the more Jim listened to it. He must be getting used to the monotone, "By 'hand gestures' do you mean one of the fifteen dialects of the hand depicted in this book?"

"Ah, yes."

"Specify dialect by name."

"I don't know the name. Is there one specific to Shikahr?" Jim asked, peering intensely at the Padd.

"Ten of the fifteen dialects are used in Shikahr. Specify caste of user."

Jim guessed, "Same caste as T'Pau of Vulcan."

"High Vulcan hand dialect, translation only available to readers with top security clearance from T'Pau."

Jim said, "Damn," but then to his surprise the Padd went on, "House of Surak, senior members. Kirk, Enterprise. Are you James T. Kirk, Captain?"

"Yes!" said Kirk, amazed.

"Please position eye for retinal scan," suggested the Padd, and Kirk held the Padd up close to his face.

"Retinal scan confirmed. Kirk, James T. Captain of USS Enterprise. Senior member of House of Surak."

"Wait, what? I am?" asked Kirk, then said, "I am!" to the Padd, not wanting it to change its mind.

The Padd fell silent, and Kirk realised it was waiting for a command from him, so he told it, "Instruct me in the basics of the High Vulcan Hand Dialect."

The Padd said, "Complying," and words and holo images of hands in various positions began to flash at bewildering speed above the surface of the Padd.

"Stop! Restart instruction, at Human instruction speed," said Kirk.

"Ta-al, version one," began the Padd tonelessly.

After version fifteen of the Ta'al, where the little finger was allowed to drift outwards slightly as an expression of contempt, Kirk asked, "How many variations on the Ta'al are there?"

"One thousand, eight hundred and ninety five," responded the Padd. Kirk's eyes glazed over and he asked hopefully, "Can we move onto something else?"

"Specify?"

"Um, what about touching hands?"

"Intimate sexual contact," droned the Padd, "Used only in context of seduction and mating."

"Whoa, whoa, what did you just say?"

"Intimate sexual contact used only in context of seduction and mating."

"That's what I thought you just said," muttered Kirk, and asked, "Is there a code for that?"

"Yes."

Kirk asked hesitantly, "How many variations on intimate sexual contact does the hand dialect contain?"

"Sixteen thousand and ninety five basic gestures."

"Damn," sighed Jim.

"Padd is interactive."

"What?" asked Jim.

"Padd is interactive."

"I don't want to have sex with you, you randy little Vulcan machine," chuckled Kirk.

"Padd is interactive. Demonstrate hand gestures and Padd can translate."

"Oh, cool. Well, here," Jim put the Padd down on his desk and put his hands into the area above the Padd where the images had appeared. Thoughtfully, he mimicked something Spock had done in his cabin the night before, brushing his little finger against Jim's.

"I wish to mate with you," intoned the Padd tunelessly.

Kirk laughed, "Now you really are hitting on me."

"Hand gesture demonstrated translates as 'I wish to mate with you.'"

"Seriously? No, I must have done it wrong. What about this one?" Jim demonstrated another gesture which Spock had used a few weeks before, grasping one arm half-way between the wrist and elbow in an overhand grip.

"I love you," intoned the Padd tonelessly.

Kirk sat stunned for a few minutes. Then he breathed, "What does this mean?" and clasped both hands together over the Padd.

"I am yours," responded the Padd.

"But-"

"-forever," finished the Padd.

"Damn."

After a while, Jim had found out some very interesting things. A touch on the hip indicated a willingness to lay down one's life for a person. A nipple pinch meant that the person doing the pinching wanted to be bound naked on a table and have something called 'mun" poured all over them and licked off by the one they were touching. No wonder Spock kept staring at him oddly for days after that one….

"I love you… I need you… I want you…. please talk to me…. please talk to me…. please talk to me…." intoned the Padd tonelessly at each gesture that Kirk demonstrated for it.

Kirk closed his eyes and whispered, "Damn," again. He picked up the other disc, which was labelled 'Ancient Vulcan courting rituals, (how to seduce a Vulcan)' and sighed. It had cost him a lot of money, and it looked like he needn't have spent it at all.. from what the Padd was telling him, his Vulcan was quite thoroughly seduced already.

Dinner suddenly seemed a long way away.


	2. Chapter 2

Spock hesitated outside Jim's cabin, and straightened his uniform. Then he pressed the buzzer politely.

"Come," Jim's voice answered promptly, and the door swished open.

Spock walked into the cabin and stopped. Jim was sitting at his desk, hands steepled, his chin resting between his index and middle fingers, his thumbs tucked under and touching his palms. Spock tilted his head… no…. he must be imagining things.

_(You are beautiful, my beloved)._

"Spock," smiled Jim, and stood up, extending a hand to Spock, fingers closed… then splayed out his fingers _(come to me, my love)._

Spock shook his head to clear it and said, "Jim. Thank you for your invitation to dinner."

'Always a pleasure, Spock," smiled the human. He held up his index finger as he retracted his hand without touching Spock. That one was universal, and Jim confirmed it with his words, "I've ordered dinner from the galley, it will be a few more minutes. Would you like a drink?"

"Yes, please. A Romulan Ale," decided Spock. He needed to settle his overactive human imagination. Surely Jim was not… speaking to Spock, not with his hands.

"Here," Jim put his hand on the back of a chair _(you are mine_), "Sit down."

Spock stared at Jim's hands. If Admiral Archer's beagle had suddenly walked into the room and demanded a debriefing and a cup of tea, Spock would have felt… marginally more comfortable. Surely he was mistaken. The family dog did not simply sit up one day and talk. Spock's human crush did not simply wave his hands one day and begin to speak a complex and ancient Vulcan language. The fact that he was apparently saying all the things that Spock wished to hear led Spock to the rapid conclusion that his human half must somehow be developing delusional tendencies.

"Spock?" asked Jim, "You okay?"

The human walked up to him and wrapped his hand around Spock's arm, half-way between the wrist and the elbow _(I love you). _Spock knew he was staring at Jim, but found himself unable to move.

Spock knew he had to move. However, his entire nervous system had apparently mutinied. It refused to budge.

Jim squeezed his arm gently, then rubbed his thumb over Spock's arm in small circles _(I love you, and I want to make love to you at the earliest possible juncture)._

Spock closed his mouth and realised that his body _had_ begun to move… in the most inappropriate way….he stared at Jim's hand on his arm, realising that both Jim's hand and Spock's own cock were suddenly on the same page… (_I want to make love to you at the earliest possible juncture)_.

"Captain, I… ah…. uh…."

"Hey," Jim's voice was soft, concerned, as he ran his hand down Spock's arm, trailing his thumb underneath to massage Spock's wrist gently _(I will please you in every way possible)_ and pulling the Vulcan gently around to face him, lifting his other hand to grasp Spock's other shoulder gently (_T'hyla_), "You look a little pale, are you okay?"

Spock looked at Jim's hand on his shoulder_ (T'hyla)._

Spock found that his brain had almost entirely switched off. Breathing was impossible. His cock was swelling alarmingly between his legs, so that surely Jim must notice it within seconds, even if he were blind. Spock's heart was hammering so loud in his sensitive ears that he could not hear what Jim was saying, only stare at the hand on his shoulder (_T'hyla_).

Spock's brain finally got a message through, "Run," he whispered.

Jim looked at him quizzically, "What?"

Spock looked into the trusting hazel eyes, and realized why he had said that. He was delusional, aroused, and considering mating with his Captain. Jim was in danger. He had to flee.

However, Spock's legs had apparently joined the mutiny along with the rest of his nervous system, for they did not carry him out of the cabin as he demanded. He managed to regain control of his mouth and ask, "Jim, are you… are you aware….?"

"-of what I'm saying to you?" There was a gleam in Jim's eyes that made Spock's cock give a happy little press outwards within his trousers.

"Dinner?" asked Spock in a strangled tone, some element within his mind hoping that by restating the original intention of his visit, he could somehow go back in time to the moment that he entered the cabin and snare his errant sanity.

Jim ignored him and purred, "-of what I'm telling you with these?" Spock 's eyes snapped down to their hands as the thumb massaging his wrist moved to the centre of his palm and traced tickling circles there (_please make love to me_).

Spock could not look away at first, but then Jim ceased the motion for a second, and the Vulcan managed to tear his eyes away from their hands and look up into Jim's eyes.

Fifty Vulcan heartbeats and about five human ones passed.

Then Jim's other hand left his shoulder… and traced the path of friendship slowly, carefully down Spock's upper arm, to the path of brotherhood, just above Spock's elbow, and slowed. Jim's hand slowed to agonising and joyous slowness as it traced the path of love down Spock's lower arm, the fingers and thumb tracing the intricate swirls down to Spock's trembling wrist. There could be no mistaking that complex gesture. The fingers hesitated, then Spock gasped as Jim's fingers trailed onto his hand and began to speak to him.

(I love you, brother I love you, you are mine, why didn't you tell me, I need you, why didn't you tell me, why didn't you tell me why didn't you tell me.)

Spock gasped again and surrendered to the seductive delusion before him. He whispered, 'I did try, Jim." He slid his hands up towards Jim's shoulders.

"I didn't even know what you were doing, Spock," whispered Jim, his voice now unmistakeably husky and aroused.

Spock let his hands drift up along the soft skin of Jim's neck, where he could feel the pulse hammering, slow, cool and strong. He traced an intricate pattern up Jim's neck.

"I don't know what that means," admitted Jim, looking a little ashamed.

"It is complicated," whispered Spock, stepping so close to the human that Jim could feel the hot breath against his ear, "You cannot expect to learn everything on the first day."

"Try me," suggested the human, sounding breathless now.

"Awakening, a dawn of… " Spock hesitated, "I cannot… words are insufficient. It is too… complex."

Spock's hands drifted up towards the final intimacy... the meld, and he gazed into the human's eyes and saw only welcome there. He planted his hands suddenly against the blonde curls, and his world exploded with desire.


	3. Chapter 3: Entree

The ensign from the galley buzzed again. He heard nothing, again.

'Captain?' he spoke hesitantly into the intercom on the wall outside the Captain's cabin, 'Sir, your dinner.'

There was a bump and a soft voice said something, followed by what sounded like another, deeper voice. The ensign tilted his head, trying to hear.

The door swished open, making him jump and almost tip the trolley. The Captain stood in the doorway, smoothing down his hair with one hand, his voice cool and appreciative, 'Thank you, ensign. I'll take that.'

'Sir, we-'

'I'll take that,' the edge of command drifted unmistakeably into Kirk's voice.

'Yes, sir. Did you want the tray collected tonight?'

The Captain shot him a look, said, 'No,' tersely and disappeared back into the cabin. The doors swished shut in the ensign's face.

'God….' whispered the ensign, not sure whether he was berating himself for his clumsiness in handling what was obviously a delicate situation, or responding to the slightly dishevelled and flushed Kirk's seemingly universal sexual appeal. The Captain had looked… breathtaking, his hair slightly tousled, his warm eyes alight, his golden skin slightly flushed.

'And I'm not even gay,' murmured the ensign to himself, wandering off down the corridor in a daze.

Back in the cabin, Spock had slammed Kirk up against the wall just inside the cabin door, and was seeking the Captain's face again with his hands. The Vulcan dove his hands into the soft, golden hair and hissed an intake of breath as the meld rocketed back into his psyche once more.

'Oh…. ' cried Kirk, his back against the wall, his arms straight down beside him, palms pressing hard against the wall. Sensation after sensation burst through his mind, a bewildering kaleidoscope of feelings and thoughts stampeding across his consciousness and slipping into the subconscious, where he could feel them, emotions boiling and seething, hot Vulcan desire that ripped through his thoughts and galvanised his body, 'Spock…' was all he could gasp.

Spock was panting, his dark eyes boring into Jiim's from centimetres away, his hands curling and uncurling against Kirk's temples as though they were massaging his thoughts into Kirk's skull. The Vulcan tried to speak, but got as far as, 'Ah.'

The Vulcan's body was speaking for him, pressing Kirk urgently against the wall, lifting his weight slightly off his feet. Spock's hands were fastened to the meld points on Jim's head, but Jim's hands were free to move, and he pulled them off the wall to reach up behind Spock's neck, lace them into the black silky hair and pull their lips together into a bruising kiss. Spock moaned and tilted his head slightly, then began to kiss Jim back greedily.

Jim was overwhelmed with the sensations of heat and pressure, the Vulcan's body pinning him up against the wall, and the raging emotions in the meld. He already felt deliciously violated by the intimacy of the meld, but he wanted more. Spock dipped his hips slightly then moved them back up, so that the rock-hard bulge in his pants rubbed with agonising pleasure across the front of Jim's clothes. Jim moaned wantonly, realising _that_ was the 'more' he wanted.

'We should….' Jim managed to get two words out, but forgot what he was going to say.

Spock looked thoughtful for about a nanosecond, then replied, 'Umph,' and moved his lips across Jim's jawline to do delightful things to the humans's neck. The Vulcan took one hand off the meld points, and the meld faded into something less than clarity for only a second. Spock had moved his hands to the clasp on Jim's shirt, but felt the change in the meld and obviously did not like it. With one swift movement he tore Jim's uniform shirt from neck to waist, then reached around and grasped it by the back of the neck and gently tugged. Jim moved his arms and torso to accommodate its removal, and it came free. Spock released it and it fell to the floor.

The Vulcan took three deep, slow breaths as he surveyed Jim's bared upper torso. He took in the muscular pectorals, punctuated by the two small nubs of Jim's nipples, and the muscled stomach. Spock whispered reverently, 'Jim,' and then bent his head over to capture one of Jim's nipples in his heated mouth.

Jim's knees buckled and he cried out, 'Aaaaah!' and closed his eyes, "Jeez, Spock."

Spock's hands were still both up on Jim's face, so he could only just reach the nipple with his mouth. He captured the tiny, hard nub in his mouth and rubbed his hot, wet tongue back and forth across it. Jim cried out, and began to moan hoarsely with every breath, 'Oh, God, you're killing me.'

Spock reluctantly let go with one hand and reached down to unclasp the human's trousers. He opened the pants and allowed Jim's swollen, leaking cock to bob into view, 'That looks painful,' he murmured into the human's ear, and Jim made an inarticulate pleading sound. Spock kneed the pants down the human's thighs, then used a foot to push them down to the human's boots. They would go no further, but the Vulcan did not care. He planted both hands back on the meld points of Jim's face and pressed the human, who was now completely naked except for his socks and boots, firmly back up against the wall. Spock rubbed his still fully clothed body gently up and down against the naked body of his Captain, and Jim whimpered at the friction of Spock's uniform against his delicate human skin.

The human's hands were scrabbling now for Spock's trouser fastening, and suddenly cool, strong hands were wrapped around Spock's throbbing shaft. He paused, looking into Jim's eyes, then began to thrust again, their naked cocks trapped together between the fabric of Spock's uniform and Jim's soft, bare skin.

'Oh, Christ,' muttered Jim. It sounded like surrender, and Spock growled appreciatively and pressed the human higher up the wall. The Vulcan's hips were thrusting repeatedly now, seeking the delicious sensation of their two cocks rubbing against each other. Precum had leaked down over both, and they slid slickly against each other, sending waves of almost unbearable pleasure through their joined minds.

Spock moaned as he felt his body tighten up, 'Jim….'

'Mmfh?'

'I think I'm going to….' but Spock could not finish the sentence, because his body and mind exploded into ecstasy, hot seed shooting out between them. Barely a second later he felt another jolt of ecstasy as the human's mind responded in kind and Jim too, came, his white human seed pulsing out and mingling with Spock's. Spock held the human as Jim shuddered again and again against the wall, his eyes squeezed tight shut, fingernails digging sharply into Spock's back with each paroxysm of pleasure.

Spock waited, as Jim gasped to catch his breath. The Vulcan could feel the human's heart beating in his chest, almost as fast as a Vulcan's would do. Spock felt his legs grow weak, and curled his head down to rest on Jim's left shoulder. He could hear each gasp of breath from Jim, and eventually he heard his Captain pant out, 'I think…. we should talk.'

Spock nodded, still unable to speak.


	4. Chapter 4: A Side Dish of Shame

Jim could feel himself shaking slightly, and he tried to move, but was still pinned to the wall by Spock's weight. The Vulcan's hands slipped down Jim's body and found his hands, entwining as closely with them as was possible, meshing the soft web between their fingers together, and Jim heard Spock breathe in a deep, shuddering breath.

It was hardly a whisper, "Spock?"

Jim felt the silky hair move up and down against his neck as the deep baritone murmured, "Yes?"

"You're... this...I..." Jim stopped, unable to put two words together.

Jim felt the Vulcan press his face slightly closer into his neck and curl his mouth up in a smile. Spock murmured, "Every word you say, makes me-"

He fell silent.

"Makes you what?" Jim asked softly, deciding it was easier to quiz Spock than to gather his own thoughts into a coherent sentence. The hot, heavy body of the Vulcan was still pressed into his all along its length. Jim was not protesting, but it did terrible things to his ability to focus.

Spock turned his head and captured Jim's lips in a long kiss, avoiding any reply.

"Makes you what?" repeated the human.

Spock opened his mouth and took in a breath, "Jim. No. I am a Vulcan, remember?"

Jim turned to look into the dark eyes, "You don't want me to push you too hard on some things?"

"That is correct."

Jim nodded, "Okay," and moved his body subtly against Spock's, in a manner which made Spock feel that the small victory he had just gained had been at an untold cost. He whispered, "Why do I feel that I just made a tactical error?" and Jim chuckled into his ear and moved his body again.

The human sighed, "Well, if you only leave me with certain weapons, Spock, those are the ones I'll use..." He insinuated his body along Spock's like a wave, and as the vibration of it ran up Spock's body and fired his nerves, the Vulcan growled lowly, "Jim..."

"Oh, God, I love it when you growl," murmured Jim.

"I did not growl."

"That was a growl."

"I said your name."

"You growled it."

Jim's laughter washed over them both like a warm desert breeze, and Spock sighed as the human moved his hands within Spock's grasp, wriggling them provocatively and causing the Vulcan to take a deep breath.

"You like that, don't you?"

It was a gross understatement. Jim might as well have asked the Vulcan the same question as he was giving him a blow job. Spock answered tightly, "Yes."

"A lot."

"Yes."

The human disentangled one hand from Spock's, and let it run up Spock's arm beneath the elbow. Jim began to massage the muscle inside the arm, just above Spock's elbow. He pressed deeply but gently, and set up a steady rhythm, then said, "Spock, you know I didn't get a chance to learn everything..."

Jim stopped as he realized his actions were reducing the Vulcan to near incoherency, and asked, "Isn't this the zone of friendship?"

Spock managed to choke out, "Lust is logical. Brotherhood in arms is logical. Friendship... is not."

Jim stopped moving for several long seconds and stared at Spock, "Meaning?"

Spock whispered, "My people would see our friendship as scandalous, whereas for us to become lovers would barely raise an eyebrow."

Jim pushed Spock back until he was holding Spock almost at arms length, and said, "Sorry, WHAT?"

"Friendship is scandalous. A sexual relationship is logical."

"Even between two men?"

Spock shrugged, "Sexual release is sexual release, Jim. Our population does not need increase. There is no harm seen in what you and I are doing here."

"But the fact that we're friends..."

"That is the disgrace which I have brought upon my family. My father can barely bring himself to mention it."

"Damn. So when you said, that when you felt friendship for me, you felt ashamed..."

"I was not denying or ignoring the sexual component in my feelings for you. I simply did not feel ashamed of it. Did you not understand that at the time?"

"Wow. I was so wrong about that."

Spock shrugged, "It is understandable. You humans constantly anthropomorphize to the extent that you underestimate the differences between your society and those of other aliens."

"Other aliens?" Jim grinned.

"Yes. Is the description inappropriate?"

"No," smiled the Captain, "No, not at all."

Spock noticed suddenly, "Are you not cold?"

"Not yet. I will be soon if I don't snuggle down in a warm bed with an equally warm companion."

"I will teach you more of the hand language."

Jim grinned wickedly, "Okay, we'll eat dinner and then you can explain to me what it means when your hand is wrapped around my dick."

Spock raised his eyes to the ceiling, and Jim released his arms. The Captain went and changed into a Star Fleet issue gold robe, and Spock ducked into his cabin and came back wearing his own dark blue, soft robe. They reheated and made short work of dinner and retired to Jim's bunk.

As they wriggled under the covers together for the first time, Jim had a sudden premonition that they would be doing this many more times in the future. He snuggled up to the hot Vulcan body, leaving only the top half of their bodies free so that Spock could demonstrate a few dozen more hand gestures.

Spock ran his hands down the outside of Jim's from the wrists to the fingertips, and translated, "Stay with me."

Jim said nothing, just clasped Spock's hand within both of his. Spock looked as though he were going to melt into the mattress.


	5. Chapter 5: Smorgasbord

They were in Jim's bunk, and Jim was getting some interactive training on Vulcan hand signals.

"What is that?" he asked. He clasped Spock's hand firmly and then hooked his little finger around Spock's. Spock stared at their hands; he could feel the emotions thrumming through the connection between them. _I want your body within me_.

Spock asked, his voice tight, "Where did you learn that one?"

"From you. You had that disease, remember, the one that nearly made Riley crash the Enterprise into the planet."

Spock relaxed a little, then frowned, trying to remember. He shook his head, "My memories of that day are unclear."

"Mine are pretty lucid, up until about then."

Spock sighed, and translated reluctantly, "It means I... want your body within me."

Jim's smile spread slowly across his face, "Da-amn!"

A green blush was spreading slowly across Spock's face.

"Spock, I've got to say, that... that's a while ago. If I'd known you had the hots for me for that long-"

"Perhaps if I had known, too..." said Spock quietly, "...it would have helped."

"Aww. Yeah, probably," smiled Jim, and rewarded Spock by snuggling his naked lower body closer to the Vulcan's under the blanket. Spock's eyes widened appreciatively, but he tried to concentrate on what Jim was doing next.

Jim slipped his hand out from Spock's grasp by pushing it further up, so that Spock's hand was now over Jim's wrist. Jim spread and flexed his fingers.

"Highly suggestive, Jim," said Spock, and Jim felt the Vulcan's lower body snuggle in turn, closer to his under the blankets.

"What does it mean?" asked Jim, huskily.

Spock leaned towards him and whispered, "Oh, no, the rules."

Jim shivered under the hot sigh of breath past his ear, but protested mildly, "Rules? There are rules?"

"I have decided there are, now. The first one is that before I translate it, you are required to describe to me how you learnt it."

"This one was just like this. I'd hit a guy and you came in and grabbed my wrist. I think you thought I'd broken it."

"Ah yes. I remember," Spock's eyes were hooded.

"And then you didn't let go straight away of my wrist, it looked like you were kind of... I don't know, transfixed," said Jim.

"Yes," breathed Spock, and Jim could feel the Vulcan's manhood stirring in the warmth between their lower bodies.

"Well? What does it mean?" asked Jim softly.

Spock's dark eyes bored into his as he explained, his voice was soft as Jim's, but a little rough, "It means, 'I wish to enter you and feel my life force pulse out into your body.'"

Jim swallowed, "Oh."

"I was, as you said, transfixed. It was difficult not to show any emotion in response," Spock moved even closer, his hardness nudging up against Jim's inner thigh, "As I am sure you will realise that it is difficult now."

"Mmmm..." murmured Jim, turning his head away slightly so that hot Vulcan lips could descend on his neck.

"This is what I wanted to do to you back then," murmured Spock, his voice crackling with desire.

Jim shuddered, "I probably would have let you, if I remember I was quite... aware of your desire at that point," he gasped as Spock sank his teeth gently into Jim's neck and then brought them back out with a fine fold of skin between them, nibbling at it gently before pulling back slowly and letting it pluck softly out from between his teeth.

"God, Spock..."

Spock smiled and nibbled his way down Jim's neck, onto his chest and found a nipple to claim, rolling it in his teeth without biting it, and flicking his tongue across it.

"That hand signal really does turn you on, doesn't it?" Jim shivered.

"I like that one," replied Spock breathily.

Jim took a breath, "Next one."

"What?" Spock sounded indignant.

"Come on, if we keep doing it at this rate, I'll be an old man before I learn a whole sentence," chided Jim.

Spock brought his face back up to Jim's eye level and quizzed him reluctantly, "What next?"

Jim wrapped both hands around Spock's wrist. The Vulcan translated, "_I wish to make love to you all night_." The human smiled, raised his free hand to Spock's shoulder and pushed it upwards, rubbing the shoulder gently. _T'hyla_.

Spock's eyes softened, and he put a hand around Jim's waist and pulled their bodies firmly together.

Jim looked at the softness in the Vulcan's eyes and felt Spock swell and harden against his body, and whispered, "I like how much you like this one. I can't figure out exactly what it means, though."

Spock sighed and pulled him into a long kiss, then whispered hoarsely, "It means _all of the above_."


	6. Chapter 6: The Other Meld

Jim spayed his fingers out in the Ta'al.

Spock too, had his fingers separated into a V. The Vulcan whispered, "It is forbidden."

"Why?" the human whispered.

"It destroys all that Ta'al represents: logic, formality, separation from one's emotions."

"How does it destroy it?" whispered Jim, intrigued.

"To touch another with the hand in that position is highly erotic."

Jim gulped, "Really? Why?"

_Why_. The human thirst for knowledge never ceased to amaze Spock's Vulcan compatriots as a child. Where the other Vulcan children would accept the information given to them without question, part of Spock's unpopularity at school was that he was constantly asking questions which drew out a topic unnecessarily. _Why do we not associate with outworlders? Why are there no Vulcan schools on Earth? Why does light move?_ (That last one irritated the other children greatly, because the teacher spent twenty minutes discussing it with Spock and delayed their return home). T'Pring asked him, "Why can you just not accept what is told you?" He looked at her smugly, which she hated, and said, "There... now I have you asking '_why?'_" T'Pring told him angrily, "You should not exist." For once, Spock did not question her, merely sighed and said, "No." The other children stood, confused, and watched him walk away.

"Spock?" a soft human voice and concerned eyes sucked Spock's mind back to the here and now.

"Where were you?" asked Jim, and Spock could have hugged him for his human curiosity.

"School," he admitted quietly.

Jim frowned, "You didn't answer my question. Erotic? Why?"

Spock's voice was low, "It is forbidden because it is the path to the other meld."

Jim's eyebrows twitched and he sat up straighter in the bunk. His body was naked, golden, fresh from dinner and a shower. He was relaxed and gilded and firm and Spock wanted to stop the lesson, pin him to the bed and fuck him until he screamed. Was it Vulcan, to want like that, or human? It was one of Spock's great frustrations in life that he could never tell which impulses were which, within him. He had to watch others for a clue. And it was not easy to determine Vulcan emotions from their behaviour. Human feelings, although obvious, were well nigh impossible to analyse due to their complexity and the lack of discipline with which most humans expressed them. Jim was the exception to that rule, thus the wealth of information which he could glean from this particular human's behaviour. The flow of such information from the human was like catnip for Spock.

Soft human hands clamped onto his upper arms, and Spock swung his eyes up to the human's. Jim looked like a kid who had discovered a treasure map, his eyes big and thrilled and brimming with intrigue, "The other meld? Spock, tell me, you're killing me!"

Spock tilted his head, his own eyes lighting up despite himself as he saw the thrill of excitement in Jim's eyes, "You are intrigued by this?"

Jim nodded vigorously.

Spock sighed and explained, as he brought their hands slowly towards each other, "The other meld. The ancient meld, some call it."

The human's eye widened into soft pools of curiosity, glancing from Spock to their hands and back. A shiver of excitement ran up Spock's back, but then he said, "We should not."

"No, no, no, no, no. No you don't," Jim said and grabbed Spock's wrist, "At least explain it to me, before you piss off down that rabbit hole you call Vulcan proprietory and leave me hanging with a mental hard-on."

Spock pursed his lips and shook his head, "It is too dangerous. You are human. The result could be unpredictable."

"I'm going to drive you mad on the Bridge if you don't tell me what the hell this is," pointed out Jim mildly.

"It is... the transfer of the Katra to another," Spock watched the human for his reaction.

"Katra... soul. So a soul transfer? Like when a Vulcan is dying? You told me about that," Jim looked thoughtful."

Silence fell between them, then Jim asked curiously, "What happens when you do it when you're alive?"

"That," said Spock, "Has been forbidden to Vulcans since the time of Surak."

Jim looked up at him and said, "So, what you're telling me there are two types of meld, and joining your hands in the Ta'al position is the way to do the original one?"

"Yes."

"But Vulcans don't do that now, unless they're dying?"

"It violates every tenet of Vulcan culture. It is the meld of the ancients, the Katra Bond. And it is forbidden to the living."

Spock looked at Jim's face and realised he had made a grave tactical error. The human was lit up like a light panel with intrigue and curiosity, and looked at him with soft seductive eyes.

"No, Jim."

"Please?" Jim was helpless in the grip of his curiosity.

"As I just explained, it is a thing which is now forbidden to all Vulcans."

"As you keep pointing out, you're not all Vulcan. You're half human."

Spock wavered.

"I'll let you fuck me into the mattress," suggested Jim softly, and wrapped his arms around Spock's neck, moving to press his body against the Vulcan's seductively, "And touch my soul while you're doing it."

Spock's teeth began to chatter, "No."

"I wonder what it's like," Jim's eyes became distant, "To touch another soul?"

"Jim, don't," Spock clamped down with every Vulcan control technique he knew, "We really do not know what this will do to us. I am half human and you are human."

"Hmm. So technically there is only a quarter of the danger," observed Jim, kissing a line of soft kisses down Spock's neck.

Spock arched his body against Jim's and sighed shakily, "Why can't we just-"

"You brought it up," Jim said.

"What?" Spock was incredulous.

"You know, you didn't have to bring it up at all. If you didn't tell me, I'd never have known. I'd never had wanted to. So you must want to, too. Deep down."

"Your logic is convoluted."

Jim held his hand out in the Ta'al and purred, "But this isn't about logic, is it Spock? This is about whether you to obey ancient laws made by people you probably wouldn't have even liked anyway. Whether you let them shut down your curiosity, or actually want to learn and discover. We two are not pure Vulcans, so it isn't forbidden to us, but no two humans can do this? So we're the only ones who are likely to have this experience, right? So who are we to deny the attainment of knowledge to which no-one else has access?"

Spock stared at him.

Jim added, "You or I could die tomorrow. And we might not be together when it happens."

Spock's hand formed slowly into the Ta'al, and he lifted it slowly towards the human, who mirrored his actions.

Spock was breathing deeply, and met Jim's eyes as their two hands connected.

Nothing happened.

Jim smiled, and opened his mouth to speak, but then his soul inverted and ran out through his hand. He would have screamed, were it not for the hot Vulcan mouth that was suddenly clamped over his. Spock rolled him over onto the bed so that he was lying on top of Jim, and kissed him frantically.

Jim realised that he was still breathing, then... realised that he was in Spock's body.

Spock's mouth sagged open in wonder as he felt the human body that held him, the human mind... so complex, so fast-moving, so strange. He looked up at the Vulcan face above him and whispered, "Jim?"

Spock's own eyes looked back at him, and Spock's voice whispered, "Fuck, I can't- I want you, shut up and let me-" then he used his free hand to briefly touch the human face beneath his, eyes full of wonder, "You're me."

"This may not have been the wisest idea," whispered Jim's voice. But then a wave of desire hit them both, and they frantically pawed at each other, feeling a sudden need to reconnect, to get back into their own bodies and minds somehow.

Vulcan hands were frantically preparing him, the Vulcan tongue was licking him, and then Spock felt his own member enter Jim's body, and his mind nearly exploded in confusion and desire. Jim's voice cried out with delight as mingled pleasure and pain flooded his body. The Vulcan body was soon thrusting hard into him, the link through their hands maintained by the Ta'al as they pumped together frantically.

The climax exploded through them, and suddenly Jim was outside his own body, and Spock was with him, both of them watching and listening amazed at the cries of pleasure emanating from the two creatures on the bed beneath them.

Jim whispered to Spock, "I can feel it still... holy shit..."

Their two souls drifted together, overlapped, then became one glowing sphere above the bed. Slowly they began to drift upwards, and the bodies below them slumped after their mutual physical release. Spock's voice sounded to Jim, "We need to go back."

"Can't we just... this is fun."

"No, Jim, now! We need to go back. Your body has stopped breathing."

"What? Oh, shiiii- " Jim sat up in the bed, drawing a deep shuddering breath, "-iiit!"

He put both hands up to his forehead, "It's me! Spock, I'm back inside me."

Spock was sitting looking at Jim, his expression neutral, but his body shuddering with shock.

Jim turned to him, "Are you alright, Spock?"

Spock managed to nod. But part of him wondered if he was alright, if he would ever be alright. For he had seen what it was to be truly human, and he knew that he would never be.

"Your mind is amazing. It's all just... there!" grinned Jim, almost bouncing up and down with excitement.

Spock said, "I think I may be ill," and sprinted for the fresher.

Jim looked bemused, whispered "Damn," and got up to follow Spock.


	7. Chapter 7: Food for Thought

The fresher was closed. Jim waited. He heard the sounds of Spock being ill, then the sounds of water running and the faint buzz of a mouth cleaner.

Spock opened the door and stepped out, white and shaking, into enfolding arms. He closed his eyes and whispered, "I am sorry, Jim."

"Are you alright?"

"I am not sure," said Spock.

"What happened? I mean, I know what happened, but why did it affect you like this and not me?"

"I do not know," said the Vulcan.

Jim pushed back a little, hands on Spock's shoulders, "Come back to bed, you look exhausted. Why are you exhausted?" He led Spock back to the bed, lifted the covers, sat with his back against the bedhead and pulled Spock down so that the Vulcan was lying under the covers with his head on Jim's lap. Jim kept one knee bent up to brace himself and Spock rested his head on the human's other thigh and tipped his head back to look up at the human. He started as Jim let his hand trail over and fiddle gently with the green nipple that was under his fingers, but after a few seconds closed his dark eyes again and relaxed.

Jim watched the Vulcan's face as he relaxed. Spock's lips parted slightly when Jim squeezed gently on the nub he was playing with, but his eyes did not open. Jim trailed his other hand through the dark, silky hair, which felt warmer than human hair, and much heavier under his fingers.

Spock spoke, his eyes still closed, "I can see why it is forbidden." He trailed a finger along the underside of Jim's raised thigh, making the skin twitch, "Already I can think of nothing but the next time we can do this together."

"It will pass," suggested Jim.

Spock opened his eyes and looked up at the human, "Will it?"

Jim frowned, looking thoughtful, "Why shouldn't it? All emotions fade with time."

Spock pursed his lips, "Do they? Look inside yourself Jim, you saw my emotions. Do Vulcan emotions fade with time?"

Jim looked pensive, then his frown deepened as he realised that he could still feel Spock's emotions, still sense his thoughts. He found and examined the emotions within him that belonged to Spock, and realised, "They don't?"

"No, Jim. And that is the crux of the problem."

"But if emotions didn't fade, that would make it impossible to get over a lover. You would never stop being angry about something, you would never get over grief. They would be impossible to deal with," Jim argued.

Spock said softly, "Exactly. Do you think we Vulcans decided to suppress our emotions for nothing? If they were as transient as human ones, do you think we would not have been able to control them as humans do, Jim? Do you think that we are not aware of the value of emotions?"

Jim was silent for a few moments, then said in a small voice, "Oh."

Silence fell for a few minutes, as each man pondered the implications of what the other had said. Eventually Jim spoke, "So if you were fully Vulcan, this... need, to do the ancient meld again, would not fade at all with time?"

"No, it would not," Spock replied, "It would be intense, constant, a burning in one's mind and soul. No wonder it is forbidden."

Jim looked down at him and stroked his hair, "Are you going to be alright with it?"

Spock blinked, "I am half human. I think that is what saved me from instant insanity."

Jim's breath hissed in, and he said, "I'm sorry, I had us take a risk that I didn't understand."

Spock replied, "I was just as guilty of human curiosity, Jim."

"Oh, that's a human trait, is it?" smiled Jim.

Spock ignored the dig, and went on, "As you pointed out, if I had not told you about the ancient meld, there would have been nothing for you to be curious about. It was my fault, as much or more than yours." He captured the hand that was fiddling with his chest hair now, and brought it to his lips, "I am just glad you are alright."

"Am I?" asked Jim quietly, gazing at the Vulcan as Spock ran his lips up Jim's index finger and nibbled on the tip.

"What do you mean, Jim?"asked Spock, looking up at him.

"Spock, what if my emotions don't fade, now?"

"They will."

Jim looked at the Vulcan, his eyes full of doubt.


	8. Chapter 8: Dinner with S'Lash

Spock was holding his hands before him on the transporter console in a configuration which Jim had seen once before... clasped together, with all his fingers interwoven. The tall, imposing Vulcan figure stepped down off the transporter and raised both his hands briefly in a Vulcan salute, then quickly palmed his hands together in the same position, released them to his sides as he bowed to Spock.

Spock stepped out from behind the transporter console, but instead of stepping up to their honoured guest, took his place beside Jim and to the human's sudden alarm, took Jim's hand.

"You honour us by your presence, Lord," Spock's voice was barely a whisper.

Jim looked sidelong at Spock, and decided that even if his Vulcan companion had lost his mind and was holding his Captain's hand in front of the Vulcan dignitary before them, the Captain of the ship should still attempt to observe some form of decorum. He raised his free hand, his left hand, in a Vulcan salute, "Ambassador S'Lash, we come to serve."

S'Lash walked slowly up to them both, his eyes practically glowing with some sort of not-very-well suppressed emotion, Jim noted. He stopped, took in Jim's appearance, looked at their joined hands, then slowly clasped his own hands together, fingers interwoven just as Spock's had been when the ambassador materialised. Jim felt Spock's hand move slightly in his, and for a moment he thought Spock was actually going to faint. Spock closed his eyes and Jim tightened his grip on Spock's hand, relieved when it seemed to stop Spock's legs from sagging any further. Jim looked from Spock to S'Lash and back again, curiosity only overridden by military decorum.

"Ambassador, we can show you to your quarters if that suits you."

S'Lash inclined his head gravely and indicated that Jim should precede him. Spock automatically tried to fall in behind them as rank dictated, but S'Lash shook his head and requested, "Spock, please walk ahead of me with your... Captain."

Spock complied, still looking nervous, but then relaxed a little as he fell into place beside Jim. S'Lash smiled to himself as he walked behind them.

Jim struck up a polite conversation, "I trust your trip from Orion was comfortable, Ambassador?"

"Yes, Captain," said the ambassador agreeably.

"If there is anything you need, please let Mr Spock or me know."

"Of course, Captain. Thank you."

Jim hooked a questioning brow at Spock. A Vulcan saying 'thank you'?

Spock was looking as though he was having trouble walking, and Jim brushed his fingers gently against Spock's to get his attention, and was rewarded with an enquiring glance, "Jim?"

Jim shook himself mentally as they reached the turbolift. If Ambassador S'Lash's behaviour was unVulcan, Spock calling him "Jim" in front of another Vulcan was surreal.

S'Lash looked around in the turbolift, and his eyes crinkled a little more, then he gazed at Jim. Jim was starting to wonder about their guest. He wasn't acting quite... Vulcan.

"Here we are, Ambassador," said Jim, stopping outside S'Lash's assigned quarters, which were just up the corridor from his and Spock's, "You should find everything you need in here. The ship's replicators have been programmed quite thoroughly with an excellent variety of Vulcan meals over the years, but of course you are invited to join me and Mr Spock in my quarters for dinner tonight at 1900 hours."

"I look forward to it immensely, Captain," said the stately Vulcan, and swept into his quarters.

Jim said nothing until he and Spock were in his quarters, then rounded on Spock, "What in the Galaxy is going on? And what does this mean?" he held his hands before him, fingers interwoven as both Spock and S'Lash had done earlier.

Spock grasped Jim's hands gently and brought them down, clasping them in his own. Jim's legs melted a little.

Spock explained, "The gesture is a symbol of deep reverence for the one you are with."

Jim smiled, but said, "I can understand you showing him deep respect, Spock, but... reverence?"

"S'Lash is considered by my people to be worthy of great reverence, Jim. He is the keeper of the Ancient Knowledge, the knowledge of my people's culture from the time before Surak. It is a position of deep trust. His knowledge must never be given to another except by the Katra meld to his successor upon his death."

"So he's never allowed to meld with another Vulcan?"

"No. Nor to take a mate," confirmed Spock.

"But he doesn't act like a Gol acolyte. He seems quite... warm and friendly," Jim said, sounding more and more puzzled.

"To us, yes. His attitude to us might differ markedly from his attitude to others. To others, he might seem quite cold and unemotional."

Jim pursed his lips and thought about that, then asked, "Why did you take my hand in front of him? And why did he make that gesture in return to... to us?"

Spock closed his eyes and said, "It is an expression of his admiration for the bond between us, Jim."

"You are a strange lot, Mr Spock."

"Yes, Jim."

"Dinner should be interesting."

"Oh, yes, Jim."

Jim looked a little distracted, "I wonder what I should wear?"

"He would not object to nothing."

Jim squinted at Spock, "Did you just use a double negative, Spock?"

"No, Jim."


	9. Chapter 9: Caught in the Act

"He's staring at us again, Spock," murmured Jim.

"You know he is a full Vulcan and his hearing is therefore approximately 1.5 times better than mine," Spock murmured back.

"Then why are you whispering too?" smiled Jim.

"Because I do not wish every human in the mess to overhear our conversation, Jim," Spock's eyes were mischievous, "Unless of course you intend to explain our recent change in relationship status to the crew."

Jim looked at Spock. It was meant to be a forbidding look, but the Vulcan snuck a hand onto the table and ran it slowly down Jim's index finger. From where they were along the back wall of the mess, the only person who could see the gesture was S'Lash. S'Lash froze, his stare becoming fixated.

Jim's voice was half reproach, half delight, "What are you doing?"

"Whetting his appetite for dinner," murmured Spock.

Jim glanced over, just in time to see S'Lash unmistakeably swallow as he gazed at their hands.

Spock ran his thumb and index fingertips around the knuckle and across the soft webbing at the base of Jim's index finger several times, then back up to the tip. He swirled his fingertip gently around the sensitive nerves at the top of Jim's finger, and S'Lash choked on his food, stood up and left the mess.

Spock's mouth twitched. His eyes were pure wickedness.

"What the hell did you just do?" demanded Jim as quietly as he could whilst still managing to convey his indignation.

"Well, Jim, if you make a certain sign first, each finger on the hand then represents a different portion of the reproductive anatomy."

"You made the sign, didn't you? So then what were you doing? The index finger, what does that represent?"

Spock's mouth tightened still further, but his eyes became even more mischievous.

"No," said Jim, "Not-no, you didn't."

The Vulcan's face was deadpan.

Jim guessed, "It's the-the index finger represents the pe-"

"Yes," confirmed Spock, looking like his smile was going to leap out of his chest any minute and plaster itself all over his face.

"Oh, you're a bad, bad man, Mr Spock," murmured Jim.

"I know, Captain."

"So what does this one represent?" asked Jim, leaning forward and pulling their hands towards his lips, then slowly licking the tip of Spock's middle finger.

Spock looked as though he were going to fall off his chair, and fell silent. Nobody in the rec room could see anything, only that the captain had leaned forward in his chair, apparently saying something very intently to his first officer.

"Jim, do not… please…." Spock gasped softly.

It was the wrong thing to say. Jim slowly sucked the tip of Spock's middle and index fingers into his mouth, and Spock whimpered.

Jim's eyes were seductive, soft, "We probably should leave, dinner's in a couple of hours. We should go shower."

"You go on ahead, Captain, I cannot move," muttered Spock.

"Why not?" Jim looked puzzled.

"I have to wait for my physiological response to your attentions to my hand to settle."

Jim smiled slowly, "Alright, Spock, but I feel bad leaving you here like this."

"I assure you, Captain, your continued presence is not assisting my efforts at self-control."

Jim smiled, gave one last intense suck on Spock's fingers, stood up and sashayed out of the mess, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Spock silently cursed him and tried to think of something sufficiently unattractive to settle his body down. After about ten minutes of imagining Regulan blood worms and Denebian slime devils, and Doctor McCoy's annoying voice, he was able to stand up and follow his captain.

When he arrived in Jim's cabin, the captain was sitting in his swivel chair, facing away from Spock, his hands laced together behind his neck. Spock stared at him, feeling his erection grow again immediately. He walked up behind Jim and captured the pink digits in his mouth, to an appreciative murmur from the human, "God, I thought you'd never get here."

"It did take some time for me to control myself," replied Spock.

Slowly, Jim swivelled his chair around and looked up at Spock, his eyes soft and seductive, "Well, no need for that now."

Spock had released Jim's hands, but collected them again now with his own hands, and knelt before Jim to take his fingers back in his mouth. Jim tilted his head to one side, watching him as the Vulcan sucked gently on Jim's index finger.

"What does that represent?" asked Jim.

Spock released Jim's fingers from his mouth, "You were quite correct earlier."

"So if I stroke my index finger up and down on yours…"

"Yes."

"And if I swirl my finger around on the tip of yours…."

Spock's eyes nearly rolled back into his head, and he grumbled, "Shower. Now."

Jim stood, smiling and pulling Spock's hand in his, "Join me." It wasn't a request, and Spock was not about to disobey. He followed Jim into the fresher and stood beside the shower cubicle. To his surprise the human stepped up and began to lift the hem of his shirt and undershirt.

"I can undress myself, Jim," protested Spock with as much vehemence as he could muster.

"Where's the fun in that?" murmured Jim, lifting the shirts off over Spock's head. Spock felt the cool hands unclasp his trousers and slip around the back of his body before pushing the pants down towards his boots. He reached down and pulled off his own boots, then allowed Jim to slowly pull the remainder of his clothing down off his body.

The human stepped back slightly and clasped his hands together as he looked at Spock's naked body (_reverence_).

Spock pinched his own upper lip between two of his fingers.

"What does that one mean?" wondered Jim, watching him.

"It means, 'I must control my sexual impulses'," responded Spock.

Jim chuckled and reached for his hand, "Oh, no you mustn't!" He pulled the Vulcan's hands onto his body, and allowed Spock to run them down and remove his pants. Jim smiled broadly, and the Vulcan looked puzzled. Jim sighed, "I don't know, it always makes me happier to be pants-free."

Spock quirked an eyebrow, then proceeded to stroke the human through his shirt, eventually unclasping and removing the command gold cloth from his captain's torso and letting it fall to the floor next to his pants.

The Vulcan stepped forward and lifted Jim's hand to his mouth, sucking eagerly on the digits, running his hand over Jim's hand up to his wrist, elbow and shoulder, then up his neck to the meld points on his face, "May I?"

Jim nodded, and Spock used one hand to establish the meld, and the other to reach down and slowly run down Jim's chest and abdomen, then to slowly cup and massage Jim's balls, making the human buck slightly at first with the unexpected contact, then purr contentedly and step into Spock's embrace. Jim could feel the Vulcan's rock hard-erection pressing against his own, and Spock gave a deep moan of appreciation.

Jim felt the meld begin, this time like tendrils sneaking into his consciousness, slow and uncertain, "Oh, that's different," he said out loud, and Spock nodded and began to work his mind deeper into Jim's, pressing his forehead now against his captain's, freeing up both hands to work on Jim's body.

"Jesus, Spock, we're not even in the shower yet."

"My apologies, Captain. I find you… irresistible," Spock slid his hands down Jim's body and then back up to his neck.

"We need to shower before dinner," muttered Jim, and headed for the cubicle, towing Spock by the hand behind him. The Vulcan looked at their joined hands and followed his naked Captain into the shower like a willing puppy.

Jim turned on the water as hot as he could bear for Spock's sake, then pulled Spock into the water with him and wrapped his arms around the Vulcan's body as the streams of hot water drenched Spock's hair to a colour deeper than jet black and flushed his skin a dark olive green. Jim tugged, bringing their bodies together and pulling Spock fully under the stream of water with him.

The Vulcan closed his eyes against the onslaught of sensation from the warm water and his Captain's naked body pulled tight against his. Jim reached over over and collected some soap from the dispenser and ran his soapy hands down Spock's back. Spock leaned back into the silky, seductive feel of the human's hands moving further down into the tight groove leading down to his thighs.

Jim smiled and tucked his head into the side of Spock's neck to avoid the pounding, hot water, and nibbled gently on Spock's skin. His erection was hard against Spock's thigh as he whispered, "Open your hand."

Spock opened his eyes and realised Jim was offering him the ta'al, his fingers splayed in the Vulcan salute.

"No. We should not."

"I know we shouldn't," Jim's voice was husky, "But I can't stop wanting it."

Slowly, Spock's fingers splayed out in the ta'al, and he kept his eyes open as he brought his fingers towards Jim's. Suddenly, as though a magnet had pulled them together, their hands pressed tight to one another and their minds leapt the slight gap between them and joined. Jim gasped, and Spock closed his eyes and leaned back against the slippery shower cubicle wall, pulling the human forward onto him as he bent his knees and sagged down the wall slightly. Jim ended straddling him awkwardly, but Spock used his hybrid strength to hold the human's weight. The Vulcan felt as though every nerve ending were alive and on fire, despite the damping water.

Spock slipped his hand under their bodies and manoeuvred his painfully hard erection into position, then gave a deep, guttural moan of joy as the human slipped down onto his hardness, whimpering with pleasure as Spock's body entered his. The meld was flooded with Jim's pleasure, and Spock could not contain his urge to thrust, up and down, repeatedly, into the human's pliant flesh.

Jim's head was flung back into the support of Spock's hand and he was allowing the water to run over his face. Spock found the sight of the human's abandon overwhelming and within a few short thrusts had emptied himself into the wonderful body above him. Jim came with an animal cry, white seed pulsing out between them, as slippery as the soap. The meld took them both within each other, but somehow the sensation of the water hitting him made Spock feel anchored to the reality of the shower.

The Vulcan nearly cleared the shower cubicle when the sliding door opened slightly at his side.

S'Lash's soft voice said, "That was amazing."

"Shit! Dammit!" cried Jim, trying to squirm out of Spock's lap and succeeding only in making the Vulcan roll his eyes back in ecstasy once more.

"Did I startle you, Captain?" enquired S'Lash mildly, "I was only striving to obtain more information."

"Shit, yes!" snapped Jim, "Shit a brick, yes, you startled me! I think you just set the bar for startling people!"

S'Lash said mildly, "That will pass," but then his eyes drifted to Spock, who had quickly recovered after being startled and was sitting, head tipped back against the wall and eyes closed in bliss as Jim moved atop him.

S'Lash said softly, "The expression on his face is beautiful," and without seeming to know exactly what he was doing, began to reach for Spock's face with his hand, as though to seek the meld. But then he stopped himself and shivered, "I must not… take the meld."

He looked down at Jim and Spock's hands, joined palm to palm in the ta'al, and whispered in a shocked tone, "You have performed the forbidden meld?"

Jim thought, "Uh-oh," but said nothing about the meld, instead asking archly, "What are you doing in our shower?"

S'Lash said quietly, "Well may I ask you the same question, Captain, Spock."

"We were preparing for dinner," Spock's voice sounded incongruously normal, "Which is not…" he leaned forward slightly to spy the chronometer on Jim's wall, "For another eighty minutes, if I might add."

S'Lash gazed thoughtfully at them both and pinched his own upper lip between two of his fingers.


	10. Chapter 10: Catch 22

Spock looked up at S'Lash, and said quickly, "You cannot prove anything."

Jim managed to come back to his senses and ask, "What? Why not, Spock?"

"The only proof acceptable that a meld is occurring, is via another mind meld. The appearance of performing a meld is unsufficient," supplied S'Lash, staring at Jim's body.

Spock added, "S'Lash is not permitted to meld with anyone. The knowledge that his mind contains, from the meld when he first took up the position, is too incendiary. It would compromise Vulcan society were anyone but S'Lash to have that information."

"The only meld I am permitted to take with another Vulcan, is the katra transfer meld at the end of my life, Captain," sighed S'Lash wistfully.

"With another Vulcan?" asked Jim, then bit his lip, cursing himself for asking.

Spock's mouth fell open, and he swung Jim off him and lurched to his feet just in time to block S'Lash from launching himself in at Jim's face. The two Vulcans struggled briefly, but Spock had the advantage of being able to grip clothing, and S'Lash was trying to grab slippery, naked flesh. Spock pushed him out and slammed the fresher door shut, turning alarmed eyes onto Jim.

"What the Hell is he really doing here?" realised Jim.

S'Lash's smooth voice came from outside the fresher, "I was sent to investigate the nature of your bond with Captain Kirk, Spock. There have been questions arising from T'Pau's elevation of your Captain to senior member of the house of Surak after your aborted bonding with T'Pring. Some say that you two have taken the forbidden meld."

Jim whispered to Spock, "But that was way before we-" but Spock clapped a hand over his mouth and shook his head vigorously. Jim subsided, but his eyes were full of questions.

Spock called out to S'Lash, "Under Federation law, I have the right to know my accuser."

"Why, it is T'Pring, of course. Who else would have knowledge of your mind but your betrothed, Spock?" replied S'Lash.

Jim was still protesting, "Hell, Spock, we didn't even know then!"

Spock shushed him, but he was smiling, his naked body still pressing Jim's back against the shower wall, instinctively protecting his bondmate, as he called out, "S'Lash, you assume that I rejected T'Pring because I had another lover?"

"I do not assume anything. That is the case that has been put forward. From your activities tonight, it would seem to have some merit. But I am here to find the truth, Spock."

"Then you should know this; T'Pring was the one who took another lover, I was not," replied Spock, looking through the clouded glass at what he could see of the formal robes of the other Vulcan.

"What evidence do you offer?" asked S'Lash.

"The evidence is in the child that she carries, and her bond with Stonn," stated Spock, "Why were these things not investigated?"

There was a long silence behind the glass, then S'Lash's voice came back, "She was not investigated because she was not the accused. You know the law in this, Spock. First, you and your bondmate must be cleared, before she is accused and investigated. Especially since T'Pau granted James Kirk senior status in your house and is not forthcoming with an explanation. It does tend to support T'Pring's case."

"You dared to question T'Pau?" asked Spock.

"It is my duty. I am the only one permitted to do this."

Jim whispered, "Wow, I've met T'Pau. That would take balls."

Spock raised his eyebrows and swung a look over his shoulder at Jim.

S'Lash said, "You must come with me back to Vulcan to clear your names."

Jim said, "Not happening."

"Then I must meld with you, Captain."

"Inadmissable," Spock pointed out, "Melding with a human falls outside your purview on this case. Melding with anyone is illegal for you."

"Spock, I have the full knowledge of a time before our laws were born. What makes you think I am bound by them?" S'Lash pointed out silkily.

"I know the laws better than most. My father was considering your role before he met my mother, and he studied its requirements quite thoroughly," Spock stated.

"Are you innocent?" asked S'Lash.

"Yes!" declared Spock. "Jim and I did not bond until well after the Pon Farr."

"Are you also claiming innocence of taking the ancient bond? If my investigation of T'Pring's claims uncovers yet another violation of Vulcan law, a much more serious one, I am required to act on that and report it," said S'Lash.

Silence fell.

"No, you are not," replied Spock. "You have just pointed out that you are not bound by the laws of Surak. You cannot have it both ways, Slash. If you count yourself as above the law and meld with Jim, you must also acknowledge that you have no right under post-Surakian law to impose the death penalty on him. The death penalty for the ancient meld did not exist until the laws of Surak came into effect."

Jim frowned, "I thought Surak was a peaceful guy?"

Spock shrugged, "He was… for back then."

Jim's eyebrows rose, "Tell me you didn't mind meld with me in a fashion that would make your people collectively want to kill me?" Jim looked at Spock, looking worried, "And why is the penalty always death, with you people anyway? Ever heard of a slap over the wrist?"

"Jim….." Spock's face was a study.

"So what are they going to do, kill us?" asked Jim, then paled, "Is that why you stopped him getting to me? Was he going to kill me through the meld?"

Spock looked pale, and his body pressed a little more firmly back onto Jim's, as he called out to S'Lash, "State your intentions."

Jim grabbed Spock and whispered, "We can't trust him. He's claiming to be above Vulcan law, Spock. That means he can lie."

S'Lash must have turned quite suddenly to face them, because his voice came through the screen clearly, "I must meld with your captain."

Spock fired back, "I claim the ancient right to defend. You are untrained in the meld, and he is human. You could destroy his mind."

"Only T'hylara can claim the ancient right to defend against a meld," S'Lash said indignantly.

"That's fine," purred Spock provocatively, "Meld with me and you will know that we are T'hylara."

"It is the death penalty for me if I meld with another Vulcan, you know that!"

"How does this help?" asked Jim.

Spock whispered, "T'hylara have the right to the ancient meld."

"Catch 22," grinned Jim.

"Indeed," smiled Spock, looking over his shoulder at him, then sneaking a quick kiss on the pliant human lips.

"He can't prove we don't have the right to the ancient bond, without bringing the death penalty upon himself," smirked Jim, "He can't have his pound of flesh without incurring the death penalty for spilling a drop of blood."

Spock nodded, "And now he knows that T'Pring's claims can be tested using a simple pregnancy test, he is required to take the path of least harm and take that option first."

"Why couldn't he do that in the first place?" asked Jim.

"Legal process," sighed Spock, "But it has been overridden by the need to protect your mind, now that I have claimed you as my T'hyla. Your status now equals mine in Vulcan society, outworlder or no."

"Cool," smiled Jim, and leaned over to listen at the door. S'Lash was silent, and Jim called out airily, "What do you say, Shylock?" and grinned broadly.

There was a longer silence, then S'Lash asked curiously, "Who is Shylock?"


	11. Chapter 11: Lick of the Wrist

S'Lash was still on the ship, waiting on the result of the pregnancy test on T'Pring back on Vulcan. Jim was getting a bit spooked by the tall, taciturn Vulcan's shadowing presence on his ship.

"Everywhere I go, I see S'Lash," he murmured to Spock one evening as they left the mess for their cabin.

"He can do you no harm, Jim," Spock assured the Captain.

Jim chuckled, "Yeah, but I'm starting to feel as though I have S'Lash goggles. Everywhere I look, he's there."

"It is your imagination, Jim. S'Lash is not everywhere."

"It just seems that way."

"Come, you need to relax. Come to your cabin and read a book." The Vulcan waited for the turbo lift doors to close, then lifted his hand up behind the human and ran a thumb upwards along the back of Jim's neck from collar to hairline and back again, several times (_place your trust in me_).

Jim sighed, "Oh, that feels nice. What does that one mean?"

"It means, 'trust me,'" said Spock softly.

"My mother told me never to trust a man who said 'trust me,'" muttered Jim.

"I am not a man, I am a Vulcan."

An hour later, Jim had finally relaxed, and sat reading in his cabin. Spock was sitting quietly for once. Jim had noted it, but said nothing. The Vulcan sat folded awkwardly on the floor between Jim's knees, in a manner which would have had a human shifting uncomfortably a dozen times by now. Jim was comfortable except for the heavy weight of the Vulcan pressing against one inner thigh. The Klingon battle fleet could not have convinced Jim to move, though, despite his mild discomfort. He said nothing, just kept reading his book, his free hand resting on Spock's shoulder, toying occasionally with the black silken hair at the side of Spock's neck.

It was kind of strange, though. Spock was not a do-nothing type of person. In fact, Jim did not think he had ever seen Spock like this; still and staring off into the distance. He must be meditating; yes, that was it. Spock couldn't possibly just be… sitting there.

Spock felt the minute shift in the human's position yet again. Such restless beings, humans; this one especially. He had noted that in his mother; that she could never sit motionless for more than eleven minutes and sixteen seconds. Of course, she was forced to move about regularly to maintain her circulation in the higher gravity of Vulcan, so that the blood did not pool uncomfortably in her body. That should not be a problem for Jim, in the Enterprise's Earth-normal gravity. He reached for Jim's hand thoughtfully, gathering it across his chest and slipping the pad of his thumb over the pulse-point on the inside of the wrist. The human sighed faintly but said nothing, even though Spock felt the pulse quicken slightly. He slid his thumb back along Jim's wrist slightly and felt the steady thrum of contentment coming from the human, and felt his own toes curl slightly.

He slid his thumb back up to the pulse point. Fascinating. The slow beat, so much slower than a Vulcan's, seemed too slow to keep the human alive. But the strength of each individual pulse was mesmerising to Spock, making his own pulse seem thready and ethereal. Humans; their blood pounded through their veins as their emotions pounded through their hearts and minds. He pulled the wrist closer and closer to his face, studying it, then on an impulse, slipped his thumb down and put his lips to the pulse point. He could not feel the pulse. He opened his mouth slightly to carefully place his tongue across the vein. It took a few seconds, but then he could feel the pulse tingle against his tongue, its steady rhythm like a tiny electric shock each time.

Spock heard a shift in the breathing above him, and a muttered curse, "Jesus, Spock…. that is so fucking hot…. damn!" and the Vulcan heard the book hit the floor beside the chair, felt his hair tugged and found his face pulled back and the Captain's lips frantically closing over his own.

"What did I-?" Spock tried to ask, but Jim's lips closed across his mouth and silenced him.

"Just shut up. Just shut up and…." Jim seemed unable to express himself, and the Vulcan surrendered to the hot kisses, thinking happily that he would have to remember that move.

Jim pulled him determinedly up into his lap, a movement which he could only achieve with the full cooperation of the Vulcan, who turned and pushed himself up off the floor until he was sitting astride the human. Spock allowed the kisses to continue until he saw the human's feet start to turn blue under the chair, then stood up, lifting Jim with him, "You cannot take my full weight like that."

"I like it when you pin me down."

Spock inhaled suddenly, his own circulation doing sudden and treacherous things. His dark eyes blazed with sudden heat, and he carried the human over to the bunk and turned, falling backwards so that they landed with a bounce, Jim atop him. Spock muttered, "What did I do?"

Jim hesitated, then kissed Spock along the neck and admitted, "Licked my wrist."

"Oh? Is that a form of physical attention which arouses you?"

"Yeah," agreed the human, smiling into Spock's neck, "That's a kink of mine."

"I believe that is what I asked."

"Oh, God, you're sexy," responded the human, devouring Spock's collarbone.

"Mmph, that is… yes," murmured Spock, arching into the contact.

"I love it when you talk, and I love it even more when I can stop you from talking," smiled Jim, pushing Spock's black silky robe back off his shoulders to give him access to the Vulcan's chest.

Spock decided there was no real answer to that.

Suddenly Spock found a human hand hovering over his face, close to his lips, and Jim murmured, "Do it again." The human was fast tracking his progress down the Vulcan's chest, onto his stomach and down to his lower abdominals, but holding his hand up to Spock's mouth.

"Jim…" Spock sighed, coming slightly undone at the feel of the warm kisses down his body.

"Again," ordered the human, and Spock tentatively placed his tongue against the wrist before him. He gasped as his movement was matched by the human placing his mouth and tongue against Spock's burgeoning erection. Spock found himself licking slowly across the inside of Jim's wrist, and gave a soft whimper of delight when that movement was matched on his own cock. Jim hummed slightly against him, and Spock tried a couple of successive swipes of his tongue and then latched onto Jim's wrist like a limpet. His movements were mirrored, and he moaned with delight as he realised that he had control over the pleasure he was receiving.

Spock found a dozen different ways to attack the human's hand and wrist, and Jim continued to mirror his actions with his mouth and hands on Spock's anatomy. The Vulcan could feel the fire begin to build in his body. After a few minutes, their bodies were both ablaze, hearts hammering and hands all over each other.

Spock began to lick rhythmically up and down Jim's wrist, and was rewarded with the human mirroring his actions on his cock. He turned his attention to the human's fingertips, running his tongue across them all sideways, and was rewarded with a swipe across the top of his cock by Jim's tongue. Frantically, Spock grabbed Jim's wrist in his hands to give him greater control and began to attack it vigorously with his tongue and lips. The human matched him move for move, and Spock's body began to tingle. He loosed one hand and reached for what he could reach of Jim's scalp, burrowing his fingers in and preparing himself for the explosion in his mind.

He could never prepare himself for the human's mind. He was sucked into a whirlpool, hesitating briefly at the surface, then plummeting into the maelstrom of emotions, careening down the slippery slope into a pool of pleasure that had his own body tingling and near climax within seconds. Jim could take pleasure like this for hours on end. Spock was undone within seconds. He felt his climax building, deep in his thighs, moving up over his balls and up through his cock like a tidal wave. He felt Jim's delight crash through the meld, that he had this effect on Spock, and felt himself begin to pulse, uncontrollably, as the pleasure cascaded through his Vulcan mind undoing all his control in seconds.

Spock cried out raggedly and the human tried to hold him down, sucking him in, but was bucked roughly up in the air with Spock's climax, at the mercy of Vulcan strength. The Vulcan felt a hand touch his face briefly and opened his eyes, then saw the human drinking his seed down, and drinking in the sight of his face. Spock closed his eyes, a little shamed at his quick loss of control. He felt the human ride it out until his body shuddered and finally stilled.

Jim crawled up to lie against his shoulder, snuggling into Spock's neck until the Vulcan managed to open his eyes. Jim caught Spock's wrist up and slowly ran his tongue across it, watching the Vulcan shudder and close his eyes again, then asked softly, "What does it mean?"

"I do not know," lied Spock, wondering when his bones would solidify again.

Jim rolled up over the top of him again and looked down at him, head tilted, his eyes sharp and clever. He surveyed the boneless Vulcan for a minute then smiled, "You do too know. You're just not saying."

Spock sighed, "There are some things, Jim, which are better left unspoken."

"I'll ask your father if you don't tell me."

Spock's eyes flew open, and Jim laughed. The Vulcan rolled up and pinned him down, holding his weight off the human with his elbows so that Jim could breathe, but only just.

Jim looked up at Spock, "Tell me."

Spock sighed, then whispered, "It means, 'I want to make love to you like an animal.'"

Jim hesitated, then smiled, "Oh, God, I am so doing that to you on the Bridge tomorrow."

Spock hesitated, "…. to my wrist, you mean."

"You hope."


	12. Chapter 12: Of Sandworms and Vulcan Toes

Jim Kirk walked out of the shower and surveyed his First Officer fondly. Spock was relaxing for once, lying on Jim's bunk, looking like a relaxed panther. Jim trailed an affectionate hand across the Vulcan's bare toes as he walked past.

Spock reacted visibly.

It was the way he reacted that had his Captain's immediate attention. It was not a smile, nor a raised eyebrow, nor a shiver.

It was a shudder. A bone-deep, body length shudder, which pulled Spock's feet up towards his body, away from Jim's hand.

Jim stopped and stared at Spock. The Vulcan was reclined on the bed, but had retracted his foot immediately Jim trailed his fingers absently-mindedly across the perfectly pedicured Vulcan toes. Spock had stopped retracting his foot almost immediately, which in Jim's mind was almost as telling.

"What," asked Jim, "…was that?"

A noncommittal eyebrow lifted then lowered, "What?"

"_That_."

"Hmmm."

"Spock…."

"Jim, do you mind? This set of equations is particularly flawed and complex. How am I supposed to concentrate on the history of quantum physics when you insist on interrupting?"

Jim blinked several times slowly.

Spock read on with great concentration.

The human stepped back and sat carefully on the end of the bed next to Spock's toes. The Vulcan's whole body stilled almost imperceptibly.

Jim reached out a hand slowly and Spock warned, "Do not."

"Ha!"

Silence. Jim's hand moved again, and Spock went very, very still. The human noticed and asked, "Are they sensitive?"

Spock did not answer. Jim glanced up and noticed the tightness in Spock's jaw, and moved his hand in even more slowly, fingers curled slightly around, "_Sensitive_ sensitive?"

"That is not even an adjective. I will not comment on your sentence structure."

"And I know a red herring when it's thrown in front of me," Jim's voice was delighted, silken.

Jim's fingers slowly uncurled, a millimetre away from the suddenly fascinating toes and extending….

Spock inhaled deeply and shifted his feet casually out of reach of the predatory human fingers.

…then gasped as Jim pounced and firmly clasped the Vulcan's foot in his hand.

Spock's eyes widened and he instinctively pulled his knees up the bed, towing the human with him, then gritted out, "Jim…."

"Spock, are your toes… like your hands?"

The Vulcan glared at him and was silent for several seconds, but Jim could see the alien mind working furiously behind the velvet brown eyes, then Spock said, "Why would a species have telepathic _toes_?" His voice dripped incredulity and disbelief. _Overplayed_, thought Jim and his grin widened.

"Let's see, sand planet…. highly evolved inhabitants…. feet… predatory bugs? In the sand?"

Spock looked taken aback, "How did you…?"

"You don't have dibs on brain power, Spock, you know. Some humans actually do possess a modicum of logic."

Spock pursed his lips and looked down at where Jim's hand was still firmly clasped about his foot, "Well, unless you wish my subconscious mind to react to your fingers as though they were predators, Jim…"

"Nice try. You don't have a subconscious." Jim tightened his grip slowly, then reached out and ran an experimental finger down the top of Spock's big toe, watching the Vulcan carefully for signs of a reaction. Spock's whole body remained frozen, but his eyes swung up and locked onto Jim's.

"Pretty sensitive, then?" purred Jim, "Are they… are they telepathic… like your hands?"

Spock's head took a little time to start moving, but he shook his head in emphatic denial, "Telepathic feet? Jim, even human imagination would have to be a- ahh!" Spock nearly went through the bedhead as Jim ran the same finger along the lower surface of the same toe.

Jim was starting to grin, "They are, aren't they?"

Spock was breathing heavily, and furiously trying to control himself.

"Those boots must be torture…" pondered Jim, "Black, leather, closing you in from your senses…"

Spock's pupils widened steadily as he watched Jim, until his eyes were pools of helpless black.

Jim moved up the bed and took Spock's foot in his lap, and began to stroke it thoughtfully with all five fingers of his other hand, tickling, stroking. The Vulcan swallowed, "Jim… please…" His breathing was uneven.

Jim shook his head, "You really are the poster child for non-disclosure, aren't you, Spock? If I hadn't found this by accident, when were you planning on telling me?"

Spock did not reply, merely concentrated on keeping his breathing regular and deep. His eyes were huge and black, though, his fingers trembling with every move of Jim's across his toes, reaching abortively out then retracting.

"Oh my God, this really has got you going, hasn't it?" asked Jim softly.

Spock looked at him, then moved. A split second later, Jim found himself flipped and pinned beneath the Vulcan, a throbbing growl hot in his ear, "_Do not_ touch me there without permission."

"Fuck," breathed Jim, looking up at Spock, feeling himself grow hard, "I found a button!"

"Do you understand me?" the Vulcan demanded in the same voice.

"A big, fat, red button," grinned Jim, and was pinned tighter for his trouble.

Spock's head flicked sideways and he was suddenly holding Jim's ear tip in his teeth. It was a careful hold, tight but restrained. Jim got the impression that if he were not careful he could lose an ear.

"_Do you_ understand me?" Spock repeated through gritted teeth.

"Oh, better than you think," murmured Jim, running his bare toes across Spock's feet and interlocking them between the Vulcan's. Spock shuddered again, and suddenly his mouth was on Jim's, kissing him roughly. The human felt his breathing hitch, felt himself harden rapidly against Spock and deliberately tucked his toes firmly in to massage between Spock's toes.

Spock gave a growl and pulled Jim's robe away from his nipples, latching on to one a little roughly and sucking, hard. Jim could not help the whimper of arousal that came out of his parted lips. Spock's movements were oddly abrupt as he reefed at the robe and parted it. His toes moved out of Jim's reach as he descended down the human's ribs, abdomen and Jim felt the very edge of sharp teeth hovering around him, the hot breath fluttering over him.

Jim was thrilled. The Vulcan's movements were jerky, sudden, and barely controlled as though Spock had reverted to the predatory nature of his ancestors. Jim felt like he was a mouse that had been pinned down by a cat. A cat whose determination not to eat him was at best, tenuous.

Jim cried out as hot, wet lips engulfed him. Spock's hands reached up and found his wrists, pinning him to the bed as Jim writhed beneath him and moaned as the Vulcan took him into his mouth and pumped him relentlessly. The human felt his hardness build up to the pain threshold, and heard himself moaning incoherently as Spock drove him rapidly to the point where his breathing became ragged, then hitched, then stopped altogether. Jim's eyes widened, then to his relief he felt himself come hard into the Vulcan's mouth and found that he could breathe a ragged inhalation, then another.

Spock's mouth was still over him, the Vulcan riding the pulses of Jim's climax, eyes eclipse-black with a ring of chestnut, staring up at Jim with a possessive heat that stopped Jim's breath for a few more seconds.

There was silence for about half a minute, then the Vulcan roused himself, released his quarry and said quietly, "Yes, they are telepathic. You can thank the predatory sand worms of Eridani 40."

He stood up and walked abruptly away, leaving Jim lying on the bed gasping, "Damn…."


	13. Chapter 13: Knowledge of the Ancients

Jim reached a hand out of the shower, groping for the towel. He had decided to have a water shower, and use an old-fashioned towel. Being the captain had its perks after all.

He smiled as his questing hand met not terry-cloth, but hot Vulcan fingers.

"Hey," he purred, and twined his fingers into the hand in his, "Back already?"

He heard a sharp intake of breath as the fingers stilled against his in the familiar interlock that presaged the flow of emotions… then Jim felt the familiar drawing sensation as his feelings of relaxation and warmth began to flow through their linked hands.

Suddenly there was a harsh shout of rage from Spock, and the hand in his was snatched away. Jim poked his head out of the shower and froze.

S'Lash was backed up against the wall of the bathroom, Spock pressing him there with one hand around his throat and the other spreading out in the meld position. S'Lash face was slowly turning pale with lack of blood, because of the hand Spock had digging in around his throat.

Jim stood, naked, wet and perplexed, but then realised that Spock was growling the word "Forget" in the most threatening tone Jim had ever heard him use before. The fury in Spock's eyes confused Jim for a second longer, but then he saw S'Lash's wet hand and understood suddenly. The Vulcan hand into which Jim's emotions had flowed seconds earlier must have been S'Lash's, not Spock's, and Spock had walked in on the situation.

Spock's face was murderously implacable as he growled the word "Forget" again, and S'Lash was pressed back into the wall, his eyes squeezed tight shut, Spock's fingertips making white circles on his face. An expression of agony suddenly arced across S'Lash's face and he cried out inarticulately, then slumped, his knees giving out.

Spock growled, "You will have _nothing_ of him," and Jim tried to reach for the Vulcan, only to have his hand flung away violently with a harsh, "No!" from Spock. S'Lash's face was twisted in agony, then went blank. Spock pulled back his head suddenly and released the meld, then carried the Vulcan by the neck hold he already had on him and walked the limp form over to the chair by the door. He dumped S'Lash down in the chair, pulled his head around so that his breathing was not restricted, and turned to Jim.

Jim's lips parted as he watched the display of open jealousy from Spock, and the Vulcan turned to look at him. Spock's hair was tousled from where S'Lash had grabbed it trying to defend himself from the meld. His eyes were wild, his breathing harsh and deep. As Jim watched, the Vulcan slowly reasserted his control, taking several calming breaths and slowly focusing on Jim.

"Are you alright?" asked Spock.

"Yes, he only grabbed my hand," Jim pulled the towel around himself and began to towel himself dry, but to his surprise Spock stepped up to him and took the towel, taking over from Jim and beginning to towel the human dry, his hands slipping off the towel occasionally and sliding over Jim's warm, damp skin. Spock said softly as he tended to his captain, "He needs to be put off this ship. His control has lapsed."

"Why?" asked Jim, and wondered at the amused look in Spock's eyes.

The Vulcan replied, "Why would a Vulcan lose control?" His eyes travelled appreciatively down Jim's naked, damp body and he leaned over and whispered in Jim's ear, "Perhaps you are asking the wrong person that question."

Jim leaned into the hot breath in his ear, letting the deep, silky voice take over his body and make it shiver slightly, "What's going on, Spock?"

"S'Lash is no longer in control of his actions, Jim," sighed Spock. "It is a constant danger to one in his position, and when faced with your… various attributes, he has succumbed to the ancient drives of which he knows too much."

"Did you get that from that short meld?" asked Jim, glancing dubiously at S'Lash, then back at Spock.

"I was stripping his mind of all memory of you," said Spock, "And any link which he established through the brief hand contact. In the process I may have absorbed certain… details about his studies of ancient Vulcan culture from his own mind. The process was done in haste."

Jim looked thoughtfully at Spock, "The knowledge of the Ancients, Spock? Funny how often we have found that to be a dangerous thing, in any culture." He turned away to call for McCoy and have S'Lash confined to sickbay, so did not see the Vulcan's eyes skim down and up his body more hungrily than ever as Spock muttered, "Indeed."

Later that evening, when the dust had settled, McCoy and his team had removed S'Lash to sickbay and Spock entered his quarters, Jim could feel the difference in the Vulcan's demeanour as he approached the bunk.

"Spock?" murmured Jim as the Vulcan ordered the lights down to zero.

"Be still," Jim heard him, then felt the Vulcan's hands on his arms, sliding up to his shoulders, "Mmmm."

"You are mine," murmured Spock, and pressed his body along Jim's, pinning the human gently to the bunk, "Do not forget it."

"Oh, I won't" came Jim's voice from the darkness, then, "Ohhhhh….. my."

"S'Lash had a vast repertoire of knowledge," said Spock softly, "Things we will have to try… things we can learn….."

Jim's voice was a small, lost whimper in the darkness.


End file.
